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How to Address Your Current Employer in an Interview

Posted October 13th, 2017

When you are interviewed for a job, there is a good chance you will be asked about your current employer. You need to be prepared for this question with the right answers. The hiring manager is likely asking about your current work environment for a few reasons: to better understand your relationship with the current employer and to get a clear idea of what your career motivations are.

You want to make the right impression when answering these questions, and here are a few tips to help:

Be positive in your answer: Do not bad-mouth your old boss or the company you previously worked for, no matter how unpleasant your work environment. A hiring manager may assume you’re the problem if you complain or may be worried about what bad things you’ll say about them in the future.

Portray yourself as a valued staff member: Make sure you come across as a worker that any boss would want to have on their team. This means you should make clear you are a respected staff member at the company you’re working for now. Make sure you emphasize you feel appreciated for your contributions at your old company and showcase the trust that has been placed in you to handle important projects or work tasks.

Don’t be too vague or standoffish: While you don’t want to give too much information or go off on a long description of how much you love your current job, you also don’t want to be vague and uninformative when asked about your work. This could make it look as though you have something to hide, which is a big turn off for a potential new employer.

Be complimentary about the new company when explaining why you want to move on: When you’re explaining why you want to leave your old company, you can frame your impending departure as a desire to take advantage of something positive about the new employer – rather than complaining about your past job. For example, you could specify you’ve heard this new company is especially focused on meeting customer needs, which is why you feel it would be a good fit for you.

IES Custom Staffing can help you land interviews with top companies hiring people like you so you’ll have a chance to impress hiring managers in your interviews. To find out more about how our staffing service can connect you with companies where you could find your dream job, contact us today.